When Tomorrow Never Came
by Charlotte Donahue
Summary: A series of 'tomorrows' in the life of James Potter.


**A/N: THIS HAS BEEN UPDATED! Thanks for reviewing it all those years ago. Enjoy. **

**When Tomorrow Never Came**

**August 30th, 1971**

"James! You need to pack your trunk! You go to Hogwarts in two days!"

As his mother's voice echoed down the hall, eleven year-old James Potter sat polishing his beloved broomstick, which he'd have to leave behind when he went for his first year at Hogwarts.

"I'll do it tomorrow, Mum!" he called back.

**December 14th, 1972**

"Hey James, you done your Christmas shopping yet?" Peter asked his taller friend as they walked to lunch in the Great Hall.

James was bouncing a red rubber ball up and down, practicing for when he would try out for Quidditch next year. "What day is it?"

Remus gave him a skeptical look. "The fourteenth."

"Of what?"

Remus muttered something under his breath. "December. Y'know, sometimes I worry about you."

Sirius chose that time to bound up. "Oi James! What'dya get me for Christmas? I've got a wish list!" He held up a scroll of paper that ended up rolling five metres in front of them. Remus and Peter gaped at the paper, eyes wide. James kept bouncing his rubber ball, unaffected.

"Nothing yet, you git. And no, I'll do it next Hogsmeade trip…which happens to be tomorrow."

"But we're not allowed to Hogsmeade yet!" Peter pointed out.

"Oh, we'll find a way," James said, a grin coming over his face.

**January 7th, 1972**

"Hey James, are you ever going to do that potions essay for Slughorn?" Remus asked his friend, who was lazing on the dark Gryffindor couch.

James lifted his head lazily. "Nah. I'll do it tomorrow. I still have time."

**September 24th, 1973**

"Oi Potter! Potter!"

James turned to the voice of his very loud Quidditch captain.

"Practice tonight. By the way, have you looked up that move yet that the Wasps tried in '64?"

James coughed. "Err…no. I'll do it tomorrow." He began walking away.

"POTTER! Practice is tonight!" the captain yelled at his retreating figure.

James just waved.

**April 23rd, 1974**

"Mr Potter, have you handed in your Transfiguration project yet?" Professor McGonagall asked, her glasses perched on her nose.

"No."

"No, what?"

"No, ma'am."

"And why not?"

"Because I was planning on doing it tomorrow."

"…detention, Potter."

**October 3rd, 1974**

"Prongs, you ask Evans out today?" Sirius asked as they walked down to the Quidditch pitch, brooms slung across their shoulders.

"Yup. And I will tomorrow too. She's going to break someday," James said confidently.

"I'm not sure 'break' is what you should be aiming for," Sirius muttered.

**July 1st, 1975**

"Jamie, have you written your cousin yet?"

James groaned. "No, Mum."

"Well, you have to do it soon! Or else Lucy won't be able to join us for your father's surprise birthday!"

"I'll do it tomorrow."

**June 8th, 1976**

"You make me sick!" Lily huffed as she tossed her red hair over her shoulder and turned, disappearing from sight.

James watched her go, feeling a strange feeling in his stomach. He slowly walked away from the lake, waiting for his friends to join him. Sure enough, they did. He heard their running footsteps as they ran to catch up with him.

"Tough luck, Prongs." Sirius walked alongside James with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"You've already told him that, Padfoot," Remus said mildly, holding his closed book at his side. He then turned to James. "You should go talk to her."

"Now?" James asked, shocked. "She'd probably chop my head off!"

"Well, she's done it before," Remus said reasonably.

"True, mate. Very true." Sirius patted James on the shoulder.

"Thanks for the loving support," James replied, feeling only a little bit guilty at his sarcastic tone.

"But he just insulted you!" Peter said indignantly.

Three pairs of eyes turned to the smaller boy. He gulped.

"It's called sarcasm, Wormtail," Sirius said dryly. "So Prongs, are you going to go apologize to the lovely Lady Lily now? Today?"

James shook his head and ruffled his hair. "I'll play it safe and let her cool down a bit. I'll talk to her tomorrow."

**September 2nd, 1976**

"Congratulations on making Quidditch captain, James!"

"Oi Potter! When are tryouts?"

"James, what positions are open?" a curious third year asked.

James was being swamped with Gryffindor hopefuls. "Err…okay. In answer to all your questions—and compliments-, thank you, tomorrow, and keeper and beater are open. Cheers."

**September 1st, 1977**

"Padfoot, shut your mouth. You're catching flies."

"But you're—you're—you're Head Boy!" Sirius said, shocked.

James grinned. "I know that. Trust me, I thought the badge was a fraud when I got it, but I wrote Dumbledore and he told me it was real. I wonder if Lily is Head Girl." He searched around for red hair.

"There she is!" Sirius pointed to wear Lily and Remus were standing, chatting. They made their way over to the duo.

"Hey mates," Remus said, smiling. "And Lily, here's your Head Boy." He gestured to James.

Lily's draw dropped. "No bloody way. What is Dumbledore thinking?" She stepped up to James and examined the badge, then compared it to her own. "It's authentic, all right."

James inwardly sighed with relief. Phase one was over. Then he blinked. A small hand was in front of him. He blinked again.

Sirius stage whispered to him. "You're supposed to shake her hand, Prongs."

James flushed, then grasped her hand.

"Congratulations, Pot—James," she said calmly. He stared. She smiled slightly. "Well, we're going to be working together all year so we might as well be civil towards each other."

"Well, shall we go to the Prefects compartment?" Remus asked, levitating his trunk towards the door.

"Sure."

"Yes," Lily agreed.

Sirius just hefted his trunk on his shoulder. He wasn't seventeen yet.

The three that were supposed to be in the compartment went, and Sirius decided to tag along.

After the meeting, Lily asked for questions.

A girl with black hair who was a fifth year Ravenclaw raised her hand.

"Yes?" James said, pointing to her.

"When do rounds start?"

James looked to Lily.

"Tomorrow," she said.

**February 13th, 1978**

"Hey Lily," James said, coming up beside the Head Girl.

"Yes, James?"

"Will you go to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow?" he asked hopefully. He hadn't asked her out at all this year, keeping a careful – and friendly – distance.

Lily turned to face him and a smile broke out on her face. "James, I would love to."

James felt himself grin back. "I'll see you at ten o'clock tomorrow then."

"Tomorrow," Lily echoed.

**June 25th, 1978**

"We're done!" Sirius crowed, leaping in the air.

James and Lily laughed from where they were standing, their arms twined around each other.

Remus and Peter watched amused

"We are done," Remus agreed.

"You know what we need?" Sirius asked suddenly.

He was faced with four blank stares. "Guess not then. We need a party!"

He turned to face the crowd of graduates and their parents. "Sonorous," he muttered, pointing his wand at his throat. "Hogwarts graduates! Only those of 1978!" he added as an afterthought, noticing the faces of parents looking curiously at him. "Party at my flat tomorrow! Bring friends! No Slytherins allowed!"

He said the reversal charm and turned back to his four friends. He smirked. "Now we need to get the booze and food—oh, and music."

They were still gaping at him.

Finally, James spoke. "You just volunteered your flat—no wait, OUR flat, for over one hundred people to come and party?" He shook his head as if trying to get water out of his ears.

"Oh Prongs," Sirius let out a dramatic sigh, "Not one hundred people, 150 people! And because this is happening tomorrow, we need to get to work!" He rubbed his hands together, grey eyes twinkling.

"Tomorrow," Remus said faintly.

**December 30, 1978**

"So Prongs, when are you asking Lily to marry you?" Peter asked, taking a swig of butterbeer.

James put his head between his knees. "Tomorrow. Oh bloody hell. Tomorrow. I'm so nervous. Tomorrow."

**October 20th, 1979**

"AHHH!" Lily screamed, holding her head and running around the white room.

Marlene doused her with water. "What is wrong with you, Lils?"

Lily paused, soaking wet with red hair dripping in her eyes. "I'm getting married tomorrow," she said as if she just realized the fact.

"Yes, you are, Lily. And you've known this for ten months," Marlene said dryly. She conjured a towel and handed it to Lily.

"I know…but it's only just sunk in now," Lily whispered, she herself sinking to the ground. "Tomorrow…"she whispered. "Tomorrow I am Mrs. Lily Potter."

**July 30th, 1980**

"James, I think the baby is going to come tomorrow," Lily whispered to her husband as they lay in bed that night.

James rolled onto his left side to look at his very pregnant wife. "Really? Tomorrow?"

She nodded. "July thirty-first. I can feel it."

He smiled. "We'll be ready."

**October 31st, 1981**

"See you tomorrow!" Lily called to Remus and Sirius as they left Godric's Hollow that night.

They had been celebrating All Hallow's Eve. James came up behind her and waved at his best mates. Peter hadn't been able to make it that night, claiming a stomachache.

"Yeah, ten o'clock in the morning, right?" Remus asked as he reached the garden gate.

Lily affirmed it. "Harry is looking forward to it, right?" She glanced down at the young toddler she held in her arms. "Oops. Guess he's bored." The toddler, black hair wild, was snoring to his hearts content.

"Bye, Moony, Padfoot. See you tomorrow!" James hollered after them as they closed the gate to apparate. He turned and ushered his wife and son back through the door, shutting it tightly.

**November 1st, 1981.**

But tomorrow never came.

**Please review and let me know what you think! Based on the song from Les Misérables, "Empty Chairs & Empty Tables"**

**Thanks for reading! As always, please review! **


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